Blood flow through the peripheral arteries (e.g., iliac, femoral, renal etc.), can be affected by the development of atherosclerotic blockages. Peripheral artery disease (PAD) can be serious because without adequate blood flow, the kidneys, legs, arms, and feet may suffer irreversible damage. Left untreated, the tissue can die or harbor infection.
Patients that have kidneys that do not function properly may require hemodialysis to purify the blood of the patient. To gain access to the blood for hemodialysis, an arteriovenous fistula or a graft can be used to connect an artery and a vein. Similar to blood vessels, fistulas and/or grafts can become clogged with plaque.